Sickness
by Kuro no Kaze
Summary: Someone in the Tenoh family gets deathly sick. Horrible summary, please R&R. Chapter 4 up!
1. Homecoming

A very sick little Kiseki lied in her bed, feeling absolutely miserable. As hard as she tried, she couldn't sleep. Every time she started to nod off, she'd start coughing and wheezing. Frustrated and tired, she began to cry.

Michiru heard her daughter's sobs and stood up from the couch. She made her way up the stairs and into Kiseki's room quickly. "Ki-chan," she said quietly as she sat on the edge of her child's bed. "Come here, baby."

Kiseki moved slowly into her mother's arms and rested her head above the woman's heart. Feeling a bit chilly without her blanket, she wrapped her arms around herself.

Michiru held her daughter and lightly stroked her hair, attempting to calm her. Resting her chin on the child's head, she gently rocked the small girl.

Kiseki coughed loudly, pulling her hands up to cover her mouth. She groaned a bit and leaned into her mother, ready to just give up.

Michiru sighed internally. "I wish I could make you feel better," she whispered, tightening her hold on the child. She placed a light kiss on the top of Kiseki's head.

Kiseki lifted her head and looked at her mother through bloodshot and tearful eyes. "Mommy?" she asked, her voice wavering a little.

Michiru looked at her and smiled softly. "What is it, baby?" She loosened her grip a bit and stroked Kiseki's cheek.

The girl sniffed and coughed again before continuing. "Can you sweep wif me, pwease?"

The request, as meaningful as it was childish, made Michiru smile. "Ok, but we can't stay on your bed. We both don't fit."

Kiseki smiled for the first time in a week but it was short-lived as she started coughing again. She felt her mother pick her up and she closed her eyes. Her head was throbbing and she felt more exhausted now than she had earlier.

Michiru carried Kiseki into her and Haruka's room and laid her on the bed. Pulling their blanket up around her daughter, she smiled. "Can you stay here for a second?" When the girl nodded, she bent and kissed Kiseki's forehead then went downstairs to use the phone. "We should really get one for our bedroom," she thought as she sat down on the couch again. Picking up the receiver, she dialed Haruka's cell phone number and waited for a response.

Haruka sat in a meeting with her crew members and manager. He was explaining how important the next race was and she was very bored. She mouthed a silent thank you to the ceiling when she felt her phone vibrate. When she stood from her seat, she was asked where she was going. "My wife's calling. I'll be right back." She left the room and answered the call. "Hey. No, I'm not busy. You saved me from dying of boredom, though. Mijikai-san called a meeting right before I was about to leave. That's why I'm still here. Trust me, it's not because I want to be here. Is she all right? Do you need me to come home now? I will if you need me to. Michi, you need to sleep just as much as she does. You've been awake almost every minute for the last week with her. Ok. I'm on my way." She put the phone back in her pocket and went back into the meeting. "I have to leave," she announced.

Mijikai looked angry. "Why do you have to leave this time, Tenoh?" he screamed.

Haruka glared at him. "My daughter's sick and I have to go home." She knew she was going to have a fight on her hands.

Mijikai shook his head. "That wife of yours can handle it. Now, sit down."

"Excuse me?" Haruka said, the anger blatantly evident in her voice. "My wife has been 'handling it' for the past week while you keep me hostage here." She looked around at her teammates and they all nodded. "Now, I'm going home to take care of my daughter." She turned and reached for the doorknob.

"Tenoh! Get back here!" Mijikai yelled. "If you walk out that door, consider your position on this team terminated."

Haruka turned around and looked him square in the eye. "If you're telling me that I have to choose between racing and my family," she started but stopped altogether. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before starting again. "My daughter means everything in the world to me. I love her more than anything. If I ever have to choose between anything and my family, I will always, always, choose my family." She turned and walked out the door, slamming it behind her. She was sure she was out of a job but she didn't care. Stopping in the hallway, she heard her teammates start yelling. She chuckled then made her way to her car.

Michiru put the phone back on the charger and sighed, thinking of their daughter. She got up and went back to her bedroom to join the child. When she entered the room, she found Kiseki asleep and curled into a ball in the center of the bed. Going over to the bed, she lied down next to her little girl. She smiled a bit when she felt Kiseki snuggle up to her. She held her close and gently rubbed her back until she too fell asleep.

Haruka raced home, thinking about her girls the whole time. "I'm sorry, Ki-chan," she thought aloud as she pulled into the driveway of their home. Leaving all her things in the car, she got out and went inside. Everything was silent and the blonde knew that the two were upstairs and were probably asleep. She quietly made her way up the stairs and peeked into Kiseki's room, only to find it empty. Closing the door, she moved down the hall to the master bedroom and went in silently. She smiled at the sight of her wife and daughter; Michiru lied on her side with Kiseki nestled against her. The silence was broken though when Kiseki coughed and Haruka shook her head. She went over to the empty side – her side – of the bed and lied next to her little girl.

Kiseki stirred a bit and opened her eyes. Although she was facing her mother, she could tell that someone else was in the bed with them. Rolling over, she seen her dad and felt a tiny bit better.

Haruka looked at Kiseki and smiled. "Hi, baby," she whispered. She reached out and lightly ran a hand over her child's head.

Kiseki moved over and hugged her dad as tight as she could. "Stay home?" she pleaded, looking at her dad with her best puppy dog eyes. She had missed her dad terribly during the last two weeks while she was away racing.

Haruka chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." She hugged her little girl back and kissed her forehead. She let the child go when she started coughing. "Has mommy given you any medicine?"

Kiseki nodded and frowned. "It was yucky, daddy," she said loudly.

Haruka chuckled again and raised a finger to her lips. "Don't wake up mama." She looked over at her wife when she moved a bit. Knowing that she was still asleep, she nodded. "Let's go to sleep ok?"

Kiseki sighed and nodded just before coughing. She moved herself over and snuggled up to her dad.

Haruka wrapped one arm around her baby and held the back of her head gently with her other hand. "I love you, Ki-chan." She gained no response but she didn't mind. She knew that her daughter loved her as well. After a few minutes of complete silence, all three of them were sound asleep.

A few hours later, Michiru slowly woke up. When her eyes focused, she saw the back of her child's head and a patch of darker blonde hair. Smiling, she stretched and sat up.

Since she wasn't really tired when she got back, Haruka wasn't sleeping as hard as she usually did. Michiru's movements woke her easily.

The other woman got up from the bed carefully, trying not to wake her child. She yawned silently as she walked to the bathroom.

Haruka thought for a moment before also leaving the bed. Before she left the room, she bent over and kissed Kiseki's forehead. Sliding out of the bedroom, she closed the door and waited for her wife to enter the hallway.

When Michiru was finished in the bathroom, she decided to go to the basement to work on her music composition that was due to her orchestra conductor in a week. When she opened the door and seen her blonde lover, she smiled. "Welcome home," she said as she moved to hug her wife.

Haruka wrapped her aqua-haired goddess in a tight hug and didn't want to let her go. "You don't know how much I wanted to just leave and come home."

Michiru chuckled. "Probably as much as we wanted you to," she whispered. She laid her head on Haruka's chest and closed her eyes. Feeling the blonde's hand on the back of her head, she sighed contently.

Haruka smiled and closed her eyes as well. Her smiled faded slowly though, unbeknownst to her wife, as she thought of the day's earlier events. "I think I might have lost my position today," she whispered.

Michiru looked at her wife, clearly confused. "What are you talking about?" She let go of the blonde and stepped back to look into her eyes.

"On the team," Haruka explained. "Mijikai said that if I left the meeting, I should consider my position terminated." True to form, she showed no emotion. Inside however, she was beyond nervous. How would she be able to take care of her family?

Michiru sensed the blonde's nervousness and blinked then took the racer's hand. "He won't let you go. You're too good. If it wasn't for you, he'd still be managing the junior circuit."

Haruka sighed and nodded. "You're right. I probably shouldn't worry about it." As much as she hated to admit it, even only to herself, she was probably overreacting.

Michiru gave her trademark smile. "Exactly. You're too valuable, and I don't mean as just a racer either."

Haruka smirked. "I love you, too." She stared into Michiru's eyes for a moment in silent thought. Images of her daughter ran through her mind and she could tell that her wife was thinking of the same thing.

Letting go of the blonde's hand, Michiru turned and walked away, heading for the basement. She needed to get that composition finished.

The taller woman looked perplexed. "Where are you going?" she asked as she followed the aqua-haired girl. She caught up to Michiru quickly and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist, holding her close.

Michiru chuckled. "I have a piece to finish," she said quietly. She turned her head up to look into Haruka's eyes. After a moment, she turned in her wife's embrace and put her arms around the older girl's neck.

Haruka gave a fake pout. "I've been gone for more than two weeks and you want to work on music? I see how it is." She loosened her arms and made to turn away but was stopped by Michiru placing a hand on her cheek.

The artist smiled at her wife and chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry." She pulled Haruka's face closer to her own and kissed her lightly. She felt Haruka hug her gently and sighed, breaking the kiss. "I'm glad you're home. I really am, but I have to get this done in a few days."

Haruka smiled and laughed quietly. "I can imagine. Honestly, with Ki-chan being as sick as she is, I'm surprised you've gotten any work done at all." The admiration in her eyes shown brightly but there was still a hint of worry.

Michiru shrugged. "We all have to make sacrifices sometimes, right? I'd usually work when she fell asleep for the night." She pulled Haruka closer and laid her head on the blonde's chest.

"You shouldn't do that to yourself, Michi," Haruka chimed. "You're not as invincible as you think you are." She scoffed and continued. "I'm one to talk." She closed her eyes and thought of all the near-misses she's had on and off the track.

Michiru looked up at the blonde. "Ruka, even though we're senshi, we're both still human. People aren't perfect, no matter what they think." She sensed Haruka's thoughts and they frightened her. "We all do our best at everything. That's all that is asked of us. You and I are no different. Kiseki will be the same. She just needs examples to follow." She hugged the blonde tighter. "No matter how many times you might almost crash or almost fail, she'll always follow you. I don't think she really cares if you make a mistake. She adores you." She chuckled. "She's not the only one."

Haruka had to chuckle at Michiru's last comment. "I know, and you're right." She moved her hand up to stroke Michiru's hair. A few minutes later, she let her wife go. "I'm still kind of tired. I'll leave you alone to your work." She moved forward and kissed Michiru's forehead.

The musician laughed. "I thought you didn't want to be alone after being gone for sixteen days."

Haruka chuckled. "I have Kiseki to keep me company. Besides, she shouldn't really be upstairs by herself right now. She'll probably panic if she wakes up and no one's around."

Michiru nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She sighed, wishing she had some magical way to make her daughter feel better. "Ok. I have work to do, so go take care of Kiseki."

Haruka smirked. "All right. Let me know if you need any suggestions?" She gained a nod as a response and nodded herself.

Both of them turned and headed for their respective destinations. Before her dad reached the bedroom, Kiseki woke up. Looking around, she found herself alone and wanted to cry. When she seen her dad come back inside, all tears dissipated but she still felt horrible.

Haruka looked at her daughter and frowned. "Hey, kid. Feeling any better?" She bent over and picked Kiseki up after she shook her head. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she cradled the girl close to her chest, rocking her gently. "Go back to sleep, baby." She watched as her child closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.

The young girl's head was pounding and her entire body ached. She turned slightly in her dad's arms, wrapping her arms around herself.

Haruka felt a small shiver and stopped rocking her baby. "Are you cold?" There was a tiny nod and Haruka laid Kiseki back down on the bed. She pulled the comforter up and covered the girl. Getting under the blanket herself, she felt Kiseki moving closer to her. She held her daughter loosely. "Oyasumi, Ki-chan."

**AN: Call it writer's etiquette, but don't you think it's rude to read a fic and not review? No matter what's thought, it's a common courtesy to leave a comment on a piece. Please review.**


	2. Better or Worse

Haruka and Kiseki slept peacefully while Michiru sat in front of her computer, staring blankly at the screen as no ideas ran through her head. With it already being Wednesday, she had three days to come up with a full composition. She sat in front of the machine for twenty minutes before standing up and walking away, very frustrated. "What's wrong with me?" she thought. "It's never this hard to come up with something." She went back up the stairs to the main level and pulled a glass from the cabinet. Not noticing that she had a bad grip on it, it fell to the counter and shattered, the glass falling all around her. One piece managed to graze her left forearm, cutting her deeply. She screeched, but cut it short as she remembered her sleeping child.

Haruka woke up at the sound of Michiru's yell. Looking to make sure Kiseki was still asleep, she carefully got out of the bed and made her way downstairs quickly. "Michi?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen. She seen her wife holding her arm and went to her side.

"Watch out," Michiru informed the blonde, motioning toward the floor. She looked back to her arm when she felt blood drip from it. "Ruka, hand me that towel."

Haruka still hadn't realized that her wife was bleeding badly as she moved to the counter and grabbed the towel that sat next to the sink. Handing it to the musician, she finally saw what happened. "Are you ok?" she asked before Michiru took the towel.

The aqua-haired girl grimaced as she wrapped the towel around her arm. "I just cut my arm. I'm fine." She knew she was lying, knew she needed stitches.

"Michi," Haruka said as she stared at her wife's arm. "You're bleeding through the towel. I don't think you're 'fine'."

Michiru hung her head in defeat. "You're right." She pressed the towel to her arm a bit tighter. "I'm going to the hospital."

Haruka scowled. "Well, I'm going with you." She went over to a drawer and grabbed three more towels. When she turned around, her wife was shaking her head.

"You can't," said the artist. "What about Ki-chan?" She took one of the towels from the blonde and wrapped her arm again.

Haruka shrugged. "We'll have to bring her with us. Go get in the car, and try not to bleed on the leather." She received a hard smack from Michiru's non-injured arm then started to go upstairs. "Kiseki," she said when she entered her bedroom. "Ki-chan, get up. Baby, come on. We have to go."

Kiseki sat up and rubbed her eyes. She didn't understand what was going on but did as her dad said. Standing very unsteadily on the bed, she made her way to her dad's arms and put her own around her dad's neck.

Haruka carried her daughter out to the car and got her buckled in. Jumping into the driver's seat, she started the car and left quickly. Looking down at the clock on the radio, it read 9:41 pm. When they got to the hospital, she got out and helped Kiseki out of the car, placing the child on her shoulder. Seeing that her wife had already gotten out, she went to her side and they all walked into the hospital.

Michiru was readily accepted in, thanks to being the celebrity that she was. Her wife and child were out in the waiting room as she sat on one of the many beds in the area. She only had to wait a few minutes before someone was by her side, looking at her injury.

Haruka sat in one of the chairs, her child's head on her shoulder. She turned her head a bit and looked at her. "You feeling all right?" she asked quietly. She felt the girl nod and let out a small sigh. Relaxing back into the uncomfortable chair, she moved her free hand up and stroked Kiseki's hair.

Kiseki sat up and looked for her mother. "Where's mommy?" She looked around again then looked at her dad, waiting for an answer.

The blonde smiled lightly, hoping to reassure the child. "She'll be back. She has to do something." She watched as Kiseki nodded.

Kiseki laid her head back on her dad's shoulder and closed her eyes. After a few minutes of silence between her and her dad, she started coughing again.

A nurse walking by heard Kiseki coughing and turned to the two blondes. "Hello, Mr. Tenoh. Is she all right?"

Haruka looked at her daughter again. "We don't really know. She's been sick for a week. It hasn't been very serious though."

The nurse nodded. "Are you waiting for a doctor? I can get someone for you if you want." She looked at the child again, noticing how pale she was. "I would recommend it."

Haruka looked at her baby and sighed. "Actually, it'd be great if you could get Mizuno, Ami." She watched as the nurse nodded and walked away. A few seconds later, she heard a page for Ami over the intercom.

Ami sat at her desk, in front of her computer as she usually did, analyzing some lab results. When she heard her name over the P.A., she stopped typing and listened intently. "What would they need me for? I'm not actually supposed to be here right now," she thought as she left the lab. Walking out to the reception desk, she inquired as to why she had been paged. The nurse pointed in the direction of the two blondes and when Ami realized who it was that wanted her, she was no longer angry.

Haruka stood when she seen Ami turn toward her. "Hi, Ami-chan. How have you been?" She went through all the formalities calmly, not particularly worried about her child's condition. She would later come to regret that.

Ami smiled at the blondes. "I don't mean to sound rude or mean but, was there some reason why you needed to see me?" Her expression dimmed as she thought about going home for the night.

"Actually," Haruka started. "Kiseki's been sick for a while, and it looks like she went really pale while we've been sitting here. I just wanted to ask a favor of you."

Ami smiled gently and nodded. "You wanted me to see if she's all right?" She was glad to help her friends out, even if it did impede on her going home. She gained a nod from the senshi of Uranus. "Why are you here anyway? That is, if you don't mind me asking."

Haruka hugged her daughter closer when she coughed a few times, feeling relieved once the coughing stopped. "Michiru cut her arm a little while ago and it was pretty deep," she explained.

Ami nodded. "I see. Well, if you don't mind, let's get Kiseki checked out. You can just follow me." She led the way into an empty exam room and flicked on the light. "Can you wait here for a second? I have to go do something. I'll just be one second." She closed the door on her way out and headed for the main desk, grabbing a clipboard and a pen. "Room 403 is occupied, Yumi," she said to a woman behind a computer. She went back into the room and closed the door again. "Ok. Can you sit her down there?"

Haruka nodded and shifted to place Kiseki on the exam table. "It's ok, baby," she said quietly when she realized Kiseki wasn't letting go of her shirt. "It's only Ami. She won't hurt you, I promise." She pulled a chair from the corner of the room and sat next to the table. "Sorry, Ami. She doesn't really like doctors."

Ami chuckled. "That's ok. No one really does when they're that little." She went to work, pulling her stethoscope out and placing the end on the girl's chest, under her shirt. "She has a good heartbeat," she informed her friend. She continued checking the child over and came to a decision that none of them were going to like. "Well, from what I've concluded from the physical examination, nothing seems to be abnormal."

Haruka looked at her friend dumbfounded. "Can you put that into some form of understandable language?"

Ami blushed. "Oh, sorry, Haruka-kun. I mean from the outside, she's healthy. I'm afraid, however, that if you want to know if it's nothing more than just a cold, I'm going to have to take some blood and run some tests."

Haruka sighed. "I don't think I'm the person you need to be apologizing to, Ami-chan." She looked at her daughter and frowned.

"Well," Ami began. "It's your choice whether you want me to or not. I know that Kiseki isn't going to like it, and I don't really like to take blood from children because they find it frightening, but if you want a firm answer, I'm going to have to."

Haruka nodded. "I know she's probably going to be mad at me for this but I do want to make sure." She watched as Ami frowned and turned to a cabinet on the opposite side of the room. Before her friend could get anything out, she turned back to her daughter. "Ki-chan, I know you aren't going to like this but you want to feel better, right?"

Kiseki looked at her dad through tearful eyes and nodded. She looked to the other woman as she started to walk toward her.

Haruka saw the needle Ami had gotten from the cabinet and grimaced. She hated needles with a passion and didn't want to watch when Ami was about to take a sample of blood from her daughter, but the child reached out with her tiny, fragile hand and searched for her own. She took Kiseki's hand and held it tightly, feeling the small girl shiver in fear. "It's ok, Kiseki. It won't hurt," she said before Ami reached for the girl's other arm.

Kiseki looked at the needle in the blue-haired woman's hand and was terrified. Her tears started to fall freely but silently as Ami gently took her arm.

Ami hesitated before taking the sample. "Kiseki, I need to you to calm down a little, ok? You're going to feel a little pinch but that's it." She felt the child relax enough so she could do what needed to be done.

Kiseki felt Ami clean a spot of her arm on the inside of her elbow, then the needle pressed against it and she tried not to move. More tears fell from her eyes now as she turned her head away.

Haruka was amazed at how her daughter was taking this. She had never been this accepting of needles, and never would be either. "It must be one of Michiru's traits," she thought as she felt Kiseki tighten her grip on her hand.

After a few seconds, Ami was done. She set the needle on the counter behind her and grabbed an alcohol pad. She cleaned the speck of blood from Kiseki's arm and quickly covered it with a brightly-colored band aid she thought the girl would like. "You're all done, Ki-chan."

Kiseki's tears slowed as she turned her head back to look at Ami then down at her arm with its bright blue band aid, never letting go of her dad's hand.

Haruka smiled at her child. "See? That wasn't so bad." The small blonde turned to her and she picked her up. "Good job, Ki-chan," she whispered.

Ami smiled at her friend's attempt to console the girl. "I'm sorry to rush like this but I should have actually been home hours ago, so I'm going to go get these started. I'll finish them tomorrow and let you know, ok?"

Haruka stood up, Kiseki in her arms, and nodded. "Thank you, Ami. Sorry to have kept you here." She rubbed Kiseki's back lightly.

Ami smiled again. "It's nothing to worry about. I'm glad I can help." She went to the clipboard and made out a small label to place on the tube. Picking up the small bottle, she turned back to the blondes.

Haruka smiled lightly. "Thanks again, Ami. We owe you one." She felt Kiseki lift and turn her head to look at the other woman before laying it back on her shoulder. "Michiru is probably looking for us, and you need to get out of here, so it's time to go."

Ami nodded. "Ok. I'll talk to you tomorrow then." She turned and opened the door, holding it open for her friend.

Haruka smiled at Ami. "Good night, Ami-chan." She gained no verbal response, just a nod and a wave. "Let's go find mommy," she whispered to her child.

"Daddy," Kiseki murmured. "Wanna go home." She buried her face in her dad's shoulder and hugged her a bit tighter.

Haruka chuckled. "Ok. We'll go home as soon as we get mama." She carried her child back out to the waiting room, scanning the area for her wife. She caught a glimpse of her aqua-haired partner and started to walk to her. "All set?" she asked when she joined the artist.

Michiru looked at her wife and child then nodded. "Where were you two?" she asked as she stood up. She used her non-injured arm to reach up and stroke Kiseki's hair.

Haruka stole a glance at Michiru's now-wrapped arm before answering her. "I decided to let Ami take a look at Ki-chan, just to make sure she's all right."

Michiru nodded. "That was probably a good idea." She looked at her baby and smiled. "You'll be ok."

Kiseki reached one arm out and indicated that she wanted to hug her mother.

Michiru thought for a second before moving over to take the child from her wife. "Come here, Ki-chan."

Haruka was a bit concerned about the situation. "Can you hang onto her with one arm?" She received a piercing glance and took half a step back when she finished transferring the child to her wife.

Michiru glared at the taller woman. "I'm not weak, Ruka," she said sarcastically. "I just have a slight handicap at the moment. Besides, she's not very heavy." She turned her head slightly and kissed her child's forehead.

Haruka smiled and sighed happily. "Ok. Let's go home." She put her arm around Michiru's waist and walked her out to the parking lot, heading straight for the car. Opening the back door, she helped Michiru get Kiseki settled and buckled in before opening her wife's door. She knew the girl could close it herself so she made her way back to her own side. She took her time getting back home. She didn't see a reason to rush.

It was 10:30 when they pulled back into the driveway of their home and Michiru was more tired than she had expected. Getting out of the car, she immediately went to the house since her wife was getting the already-sleeping child out of the backseat. She waited for Haruka to come in the house before she closed and locked the door.

Haruka turned to her wife after taking her shoes off. "Are you going to bed?" She felt Kiseki stir a bit but the girl never woke.

"Maybe in a few minutes," Michiru whispered. "That composition can wait until tomorrow." She took her own shoes off and went to the couch, reaching for the remote.

Haruka turned toward the stairs and started to climb them. Opening Kiseki's bedroom door quietly, she entered the room and strode across the room to her child's bed. Laying Kiseki down gently, she covered the small girl with her blanket. "Good night, Ki-chan." She bent down and kissed her daughter before leaving the room and heading back downstairs. Moving to the couch she sat next to her wife and sighed.

Michiru moved closer to Haruka and leaned against her, finally being able to relax for the first time in a week. After a few minutes of complete silence, she chuckled before saying, "Welcome home, Ruka."

**AN: Hey. Thanks for reading chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed it. I have a request for all of you. Review! Please? Pretty please? I would hope that you will. I have a proposition for you. The more reviews I get, the faster I'll get the next chapter up. Thanks! --Kuro--**


	3. Possibility

The couple sat on the couch for an hour and twenty minutes before they heard the sound of their daughter crying. Michiru sighed before standing up and walking to the stairs.

Haruka sat up and stretched her tired muscles. "Do you want me to take care of her?" She stood up and walked to where her wife stood, waiting for her answer. "You still look pretty tired," she whispered.

Michiru shrugged. "I can get her. Are you going to bed?" She received a nod and a yawn then a smile. She turned her head back to the stairs as Kiseki started to cry louder. "I'll get her back to sleep then meet you in the room."

Haruka nodded and took a step toward her wife. "Don't stay up too much longer. You have a composition to finish," she said in a quiet laugh.

Michiru smiled. "Good night, Ruka." She leaned forward and kissed the blonde before heading up the stairs. She made her way into Kiseki's bedroom and knelt next to her bed. "Hey," she said soothingly.

Kiseki's sobs slowed and she looked at her mother. She sniffed and looked at her mother through tired eyes. "My head hurts, mommy."

Michiru gave her daughter a sympathetic look. "I know, baby," she said quietly. She reached across the bed and stroked her child's cheek. "Try to sleep, ok? Your head won't hurt tomorrow." She couldn't say for sure if that was true but she wanted, needed her baby to get some sleep. Hoping to help her fall asleep, the artist moved to sit on the edge of the bed and scooped her daughter up, holding her close. After just a few minutes of silent waiting, the worn-out child fell into a deep sleep and Michiru laid her back down on the bed. Deciding that the heavy comforter would be too warm for the girl's temperature, she covered Kiseki with only a light sheet. With an internal sigh, she left the small room and moved down the hall to the master bedroom only to find her wife already asleep. Before joining the blonde, she changed into a light shirt and a pair of shorts then slid in next to Haruka. She felt the racer wrap her strong arms around her and felt better, relaxing and cuddling close to the blonde. She said a silent prayer for her daughter before drifting off into dreamland.

Haruka woke the next morning before her wife. Deciding to make a quick check on her daughter, she slowly slid out of the bed and into the hallway. Before she entered Kiseki's bedroom, she heard the television on in the living room. "She must be downstairs," she thought as she started to walk down the staircase. The sight of her child sitting on the couch made her smile.

Kiseki was definitely a smart child. Despite being only three years old, she had managed to learn how to use the television remote without fail and had even memorized her favorite channels. When her father entered the room, she smiled weakly.

Haruka could tell something wasn't right with her daughter. "You feeling all right today, Ki-chan?" She walked slowly to the couch and sat down next to the young blonde, looking at the TV to see just what the girl was watching. "Of course," she thought. "She always watches Ugo Ugo Lhuga in the mornings." She couldn't quite understand the point of the show but if it made her child happy, she was happy.

Kiseki's forced smile faded slowly. "Little bit," she murmured. She leaned to the side and against her dad, never taking her eyes of the television.

Haruka chuckled and put an arm around her child's shoulders. She watched the characters on the screen for just a moment before closing her eyes. "Are you hungry at all?" she asked quietly.

Kiseki still never looked away from the television. "Little bit," she repeated. She shifted a bit against her dad, expecting her to get up.

Haruka nodded. "I'll wait until your show finishes." She felt the small girl shift again, relaxing more into her side. As she sat with her child, attempting to pay attention to the childish program, the phone began ringing. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that it was Ami and she reached for the receiver, not bothering to look at the caller I.D. "Hello? Hi, Ami-chan. You're finished already? It's not even 9:30 yet. I see. She had what? Pneumonia? That's it? So she had both pneumonia and an upper respiratory infection? You're sure she's in the final stages of it though?" She sighed, relieved to hear some good news. "That's good to know. So how late did you stay at the hospital last night?" She laughed at her friend's answer. "So that's why you're done with the tests so early. You're great, Ami. No, she's not up yet. She's been up with Ki-chan a majority of the time while she's been sick so she needs all the sleep she can get right now. I don't think that'll happen. We don't get sick very easily. I'll let you know if anything comes up. Thank you so much, Ami. All right. Bye." She turned a bit and hung up the phone, letting out a long breath. Turning back to the television, she watched as the ending credits of her daughter's favorite show rolled up the screen. She smiled, knowing that her child would soon be all right. "Do you want some breakfast now?"

Kiseki looked up at her father. "We go to Mc Donald's?" she asked with a pout. The girl loved to go out for breakfast. Her parents usually took her out once a week if she did all of her chores, which consisted of keeping her room clean, brushing her teeth, making her bed, and having daily music lessons with her mother. Her lessons mostly consisted of listening to and recognizing music since she was only three years old, but Michiru was slowly starting to incorporate using the instruments, primarily the piano.

Haruka chuckled at the girl's request. "Do you really want to?" She received a very energetic nod and laughed. "Ok. Do you want to surprise mama?" She gained another nod, not quite as severe but still a very happy one accompanied with a bright smile. "All right, go get dressed but be quiet."

Kiseki nodded as she jumped down from the couch. Moving quickly but quietly up to her room, she went to her dresser and pulled some shorts and a shirt from separate drawers. Her shorts were on in a flash, with almost no difficulty. Her t-shirt, on the other hand, having no design and no tag, was a bit more of a challenge but after her first failed attempt, she quickly corrected herself. Going back to her dresser, she grabbed a pair of socks and made her way back downstairs to her father's side.

Haruka looked down at her child and smiled. "That was quick," she chimed. She watched as Kiseki sat down and put her socks on as she moved to pick up her keys from the kitchen table. Looking back down at her child, she watched as the girl struggle with her tennis shoes. "Need some help?" she asked as she bent down in front of Kiseki, who nodded with a small grunt as she set her shoe back on the floor. The racer smiled as she reached out and picked up the shoe, quickly taking care of the troublesome item. She tied the laces of the first shoe and made quick work of the second. "Ok. Let's go."

Kiseki stood back up, following her dad out the front door and to the car where she was picked up and placed in her car seat. She smiled happily, feeling much better today, as her father buckled her in and closed her door.

Getting into the driver's seat, Haruka started the car then turned around. "Ready?" she asked her baby girl. After yet another energetic nodding session, Haruka still chuckled at the girl's reaction. Backing out of the driveway, she began to make her way to the nearest Mc Donald's she knew of.

Michiru woke up just as the front door was closing. She heard a car pull out of their driveway but wasn't necessarily worried. "Ruka would have woken me up if it was an emergency," she reminded herself. She sat up in the bed and stretched, feeling refreshed. Moving slowly, she got out of the bed and went into the bathroom across the hall. Once she was finished, she made her way down the hall, peeking into Kiseki's bedroom to find it empty. "She must have gone with Ruka, which means she must be feeling ok." She smiled at the thought. Turning to the staircase, she descended the 14 steps and entered the kitchen. Keeping her injury in mind, she decided to pull a plastic cup from the dishwasher, placing it on the counter and turning to the refrigerator. Pulling a tall pitcher out of the machine, she poured herself a glass of iced tea before putting the pitcher away and closing the refrigerator door. Picking up her cup, she moved to the back door and stepped out onto the back porch to admire her ocean scene. Sighing contently, she pulled a folding chair to a spot near the porch steps and sat down, watching the gentle waves moving in and out. She got so lost in her thoughts that she never heard her wife and child return almost half an hour later.

Haruka seen her wife seated on the back porch and smiled. "Ki-chan, stay in here for a minute, all right?" Her baby went digging through the two bags they returned with and the racer was content with leaving her in the house for a moment by herself. Going outside, she stood behind Michiru and bent over. "It's not fair to indulge in your own world," she whispered into her wife's ear. When Michiru looked up at her, she smiled then kissed the aqua-haired girl. "We got you food," she said once the kiss ended.

Michiru stood up and turned around, leaving her cup on the deck. She looped her arms around Haruka's neck and kissed her deeply.

The blonde was a little surprised at the action but didn't mind. In fact, she had quite missed it while she was away. She kissed her wife back just as passionately before ending the kiss a few minutes later. "What was that for?"

Michiru smiled and shrugged. "I missed you." She bent over and picked up her now half-full cup of iced tea. "Let's eat." She walked past her wife and went back into the house. She laughed at her daughter, who had butter smeared across her left cheek from the pancakes she was eating. "Good morning, Ki-chan." She bent over and kissed the top of her daughter's head when she walked by on her way to get a piece of paper towel. Once acquired, she went back to Kiseki's side and wiped her face.

Haruka caught a glimpse of the mess on Kiseki's face before it was wiped off and she laughed. "She's definitely feeling better today." Sitting down at the table, she reached out and pulled hers and Michiru's food out of the bag.

Michiru threw the paper towel away and sat down next to her blonde lover, taking her own breakfast. Keeping a watchful eye on her pint-sized child, she enjoyed her breakfast with her family for the first time in a while.

When they were all finished, Haruka got up to throw away all of their trash. As she walked back to the table, she paused for a moment to kneel down next to Kiseki.

Michiru marveled at how much their child looked like the taller blonde. She smiled at the scene in front of her and felt a wave of peace wash over her. "I should take a picture of this," she thought. She turned around, looking for their digital camera, and found it sitting on top of the refrigerator. They had to leave it up there because it was the only place that Kiseki couldn't reach or figure out how to reach it. Their daughter just loved to play with the camera. "Don't move, Ruka," she said as she stood up to retrieve the camera.

Haruka watched as her wife went over to the refrigerator and reached up for the camera. "Are you serious?"

Michiru giggled and nodded. "It's too cute." She stood with her back against the counter, bringing the camera up and focusing it on her wife and child. Once she snapped the picture, she smiled again. "Thank you."

Haruka chuckled then turned her head and kissed Kiseki's forehead. "You want to watch a movie?" she asked her daughter.

Kiseki nodded then got up and went back into the living room. She went over to the movie rack next to the television and chose one of her movies. She knew how to set everything up and got to work.

Michiru set the camera down on the counter and turned back to her wife, moving toward her and hugging her. "I really did miss you."

Haruka wrapped her arms around the artist and held her tight. "I noticed." She rubbed Michiru's back gently. "Don't you have work to do?" she whispered. She knew the reaction she would receive and waited for it.

Michiru frowned. "You're no fun." She let go of her wife and stepped back, turning around to look out the small kitchen window. "You make it sound like you don't want to see me," she said as a joke.

"Michi," Haruka said with a smile. "Of course I want to see you." She moved to her wife and put her arms around her waist. She placed her chin on Michiru's shoulder and sighed happily.

The musician chuckled and leaned her head against the blonde's. After a few moments, she turned herself around and smiled at Haruka. A few seconds later, she watched Haruka's facial expression change drastically. "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Haruka felt confused and suspicious. "You just went very pale. Are you feeling all right?" She moved a hand up to feel her wife's forehead.

Michiru shook Haruka's hand away. "I feel fi…" She stopped short and shook her head again, feeling a bit dizzy. "Haruka, I think you're right." Just after she finished her sentence, she blacked out.

**TBC**

**AN: First of all, Ugo Ugo Lhuga is one of the most unforgettable Japanese kids TV show in the 1990's. Basic info: 2 people ((Ugo Ugo and Lhuga)) interact with computer-generated figures. It's kind of like a Japanese Sesame Street/Blue's Clues. Check out this site for more info: ****http/www.aec.at/en/archives/festivalarchive/festivalcatalogs/festivalartikel.asp?iProjectID8697**

**Secondly, thanks for all the reviews. I know I said I'd get the third chapter up sooner if I got a lot of reviews and I kind of went back on that. I've been super busy because of work and my art class ((2 tests and a project all in one week)), but here it is. I'll work on getting the 4th chapter up faster than this one. I know this chapter was a little short but I'll make up for that in the next chapter. Promise! **


	4. Surprise

"Oh God, no," Haruka thought as she held her unconscious wife. "Michiru," she whispered as she gently laid her down on the floor. She never noticed her baby come into the kitchen.

Kiseki stood behind her father and looked at her. "Daddy?" she asked as she stepped around the blonde to look at her mother. "What's wrong wif mommy?"

Haruka shook her head. "Nothing's wrong, baby. She's fine," she said to keep the child calm. "Great. Now I've got two sick girls in my possession," she thought. Checking Michiru's pulse, she turned to her daughter. "Can you bring me the phone, Ki-chan?"

Kiseki nodded and ran back into the living room as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. She jumped up on the couch and hung over the arm as she stretched her arm out, trying to reach the phone. Once retrieved, she jumped back off the couch and went back into the kitchen quickly, handing the device to her father.

Haruka took the phone and smiled lightly at the child. She pulled her daughter close with one arm and hugged her as she dialed in the number to the hospital, asking for Ami. She waited impatiently for Ami to answer the phone and sighed a bit when she received an answer. "Hi, Ami-chan. It's Haruka. No, everything isn't fine. Michiru just passed out." Ami told the racer to check her wife's temperature so she laid her palm on the artist's forehead. "She's burning up." She listened closely to what Ami was telling her to do and nodded, committing everything to memory. Her friend said that she would come to the house to make things a little easier and the racer agreed. She hung up the phone and set it on the floor, still holding her child. "Baby, can you get me a wet wash cloth from the bathroom?"

Kiseki nodded and left her father's side, running to the guest bathroom that was down the hall from their living room. She grabbed the first washcloth she could reach and jumped up onto the toilet. She turned on the water faucet and let the cloth soak for a moment. Pulling it from the sink, she turned the water off then left the bathroom and ran back to her parents as fast as her legs could go.

Haruka snatched the cloth from her daughter and lightly pressed it to Michiru's forehead. She never noticed the girl's disappointed expression. Leaving the cloth on her wife's skin, she went into the living room and removed a pillow from the couch. Returning to her wife's side, she gently lifted Michiru's head and slid the pillow underneath.

Kiseki walked away and up to her room, frowning the whole way. She climbed up onto her bed and picked up her teddy bear, who she called Kuma, hugging it tightly. Lying back against her pillows, she rolled onto her side and curled into a ball.

Haruka kept an eye on Michiru's breathing just as Ami had instructed her to do for fifteen minutes as she waited for her friend to arrive. When she heard a knock at the door, she reluctantly left the kitchen. Opening it quickly, she ushered Ami in and over to where Michiru was lying. Looking around, she couldn't find Kiseki. "I'm going to go,"

"Where's Kiseki?" Ami asked as she began checking Michiru over. She checked the woman's pulse as she waited for Haruka's answer.

Haruka sighed. "I don't know exactly. I was going to go talk to her. That is, if you don't need my help with anything." When Ami shook her head, the blonde turned around and went upstairs. She didn't know how, but somehow she instinctively knew to check the girl's bedroom. "Ki-chan?" she said quietly as she opened the door. She received no response but went in anyway. The light wasn't on but she could make out a tiny figure lying on the bed. "Hey," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed. "What's the matter?"

Kiseki rolled back over and looked at her father. "I messed up," she whispered as she hugged her bear again. She covered her face with the toy and closed her eyes.

Haruka blinked. "What are you talking about, baby?" She reached out and moved the bear just a bit, trying to take it from the child.

Kiseki hugged her bear again so her father wouldn't remove it from her hands. "You mad," was her response, muffled through the fluff and stuff of the bear.

Haruka sighed, a small headache starting to grow. She knew why Kiseki thought she was mad at her. She moved her hand from the bear to stroke her child's hair. "I'm not mad at you, Kiseki. You didn't do anything wrong." She bent over slightly and pulled the upset child to her, hugging her. "Ki-chan," she whispered. She felt her little girl trying to pull away from her. "Hey. I'm not mad."

Kiseki stopped struggling and looked at her father. She remained silent as she searched her dad's eyes. She decided to believe her when she smiled.

Haruka sighed internally. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle two sick girls at the same time, especially if one of them misunderstood her intentions and was upset, but she was determined to do her best. She needed to. "I'm probably making it worse than it actually is," she thought. She leaned forward and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Can you stay up here for a few minutes? I have to talk to Ami."

Kiseki nodded and hugged her bear again. "Mommy is ok?" she asked quietly.

The racer nodded. "She's going to be all right. Just be careful, ok?" When the girl nodded, the blonde smiled again. "That's my girl," she said in a low voice before turning to leave the girl's room. She went back downstairs and joined Ami and her now-conscious wife, who was sitting with her back against one of the dining room table chairs. "Hey."

Michiru forced a small smile as she looked past her blonde lover. "Where's Kiseki?" she asked, the concern blatantly obvious in her voice.

Haruka knelt down next to the aqua-haired girl and stroked her hair gently. "She's in her room. I didn't want her to get freaked out."

"That was a good idea, Haruka-kun," Ami said. She pulled a small, white-labeled bottle from her pocket and untwisted the top. Tilting it and allowing two small pills to land in her hand, she closed it and placed it on the floor to her side. "Can you get a glass of water, please?"

Haruka nodded and stood, moving to the counter. Taking the first cup she seen – Kiseki's tiny training cup – she filled it with water from the kitchen sink. Going back to her wife's side, she took the pills from her blue-haired friend. She helped Michiru take the pills and wondered what they were. "Probably just aspirin," she thought. Placing the cup aside and sitting next to her lover, she gently wrapped an arm around the artist's shoulders, feeling relieved as the younger woman rested her head on her shoulder.

Ami smiled. Even after all this time of knowing the couple, seeing them show affection towards one another made her feel warm inside. She shook her head and cleared her throat. "I'd love to stay but I have to go back to the hospital." She looked directly at Michiru. "Bed rest and fluids: lots of both over the next few days. I know this is going to be the most difficult part, but it's probably best if you don't have much contact with Kiseki until this has passed. Just to make sure it doesn't get much worse for either of you. Um, simple aspirin for aches. I'll leave this bottle here. You can get more of this from the hospital if you need it. Just bring in the bottle and tell them that I gave it to you. It has my authorization code on it in case anyone asks." She seen both of her friends nod and she stood. "Call me if anything happens, and I do mean anything. You have my office number so you don't have to keep calling the front desk."

Haruka chuckled. "I keep forgetting that we have that." She let go of her wife and stood up, walking with Ami to the front door. "Thanks again, Ami-chan."

Ami smiled at the blonde. "Not a problem at all. Just remember everything I've said and there shouldn't be too many problems." After the racer nodded, she turned and waved as she quickly went to her car and left, heading back to work.

Haruka closed the front door and went back into the kitchen. "Do you want me to help you to the couch or do you really want to stay in here?" She received a glare and chuckled. She held out her hand and helped her wife stand, moving to her side to steady her. Together they walked into the living room and over to the couch. She helped Michiru sit down then looked at the staircase. "I'm going to tell Ki-chan that everything's all right."

Michiru nodded. "Did she see me after I passed out?" She really hoped her daughter hadn't seen her. Her fear was confirmed though when her wife nodded. "I wish she hadn't."

Haruka sighed. "I tried to keep her out of the room, and it worked. Just not the way I had hoped. I kind of snatched the washcloth I asked her to get and she thought I was mad at her, so she went up to her room.

Michiru nodded slightly. "You talked to her though, right?" The racer nodded and she continued speaking. "Ok. Tell her to come down here. I want to talk to her."

Haruka hesitated for a moment. "Don't you think you should listen to what Ami said?" she asked in a concerned tone. She regretted the question when she received one hell of a glare.

"She's my daughter," Michiru said sternly. "I'm not going to ignore her just because I'm sick. That's not fair to her."

Haruka nodded. "You're right." She turned back to the stairs and ascended them, heading back to Kiseki's room. "Hey, kiddo. Mama wants to see you."

Kiseki smiled a little bit and jumped from her bed, teddy bear still in hand. "Give to mommy?" she asked as she held up the bear.

Haruka chuckled and nodded. "Sure. She's on the couch." She watched the child run out of the room and down the hall to the stairs, going down them slowly. She decided to go to the opposite end of the hallway and pull a light blanket from the closet across from the master bedroom.

Kiseki walked from the last step to the couch slowly. "Mommy?"

Michiru watched as her daughter stopped and stood in front of the couch. "Come here, baby," she said as she held out her arms.

Kiseki sat next to her mother and held out her teddy bear. Her mom took the bear and set it to the side then motioned for her to closer, so she moved into her mother's lap and curled into a ball.

Michiru wrapped her arms around her baby, hugging her tightly. "Everything's ok, Ki-chan."

Haruka came back down the stairs and stood there for a moment, smiling at the scene in front of her. After a few seconds, she moved over to the couch with the blanket and placed it over the arm. She moved in front of her wife, leaning forward a bit and kissing her forehead. Sitting sideways next to her wife and child, she watched them for a moment in silent triumph.

Michiru smiled gently. "Something wrong, Ruka?" She felt Kiseki start to pull away and loosened her grip on the child.

Haruka shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I was just admiring," she explained. She looked down at her blonde child then looked for the bear. "Where's Kuma?"

Kiseki turned her head and looked at the bear. "Mommy put him ober dere." She leaned back into her mother and closed her eyes.

Michiru smiled and placed a hand on Kiseki's back, rubbing it softly. "I wanted my Ki-chan more," she said quietly.

Haruka smiled and wondered how she was so lucky to have such a wonderful family. Her attention returned to her daughter as she started coughing again. She figured she should give her some more cough medicine and got up from the couch.

Michiru watched as her lover searched for something. "If you're looking for the Dayquil, Ruka, it's by the microwave." She looked down at her child for a moment before hugging her again.

The racer nodded and spotted the bottle. "She's not going to like this very much," she thought as she retrieved the bottle and a spoon. As she walked back into the living room, she seen Kiseki's eyes bug out.

Kiseki turned her head and buried it in her mother's shirt. "Nuh uh," she yelled. "No."

Michiru chuckled. "Ki-chan, come on. It'll make you feel better," she said, trying to pull the child's face from her shirt.

"No!" Kiseki screamed and shook her head. "Don't wanna!" She moved herself off her mother's lap, only to be trapped by a playful, loving embrace.

Michiru laughed. "You're not going anywhere, little girl." She pulled Kiseki to her and pinned the girl's flailing arms to her sides. "You need to take your medicine, Ki-chan." She reinforced her grip when the child started struggling again. "You can have some ice cream after dinner if you take your medicine," she bribed.

Kiseki stopped fighting but she still didn't want to take the nasty fluid. She frowned and stuck out her bottom lip in that cute way that only she could. It was almost a mix of Haruka's smile and Michiru's pout. "Wif icing?"

Michiru laughed quietly. She knew that her daughter meant whipped cream. "Yes, with icing. You have to take your medicine first though."

Kiseki sighed and gave up. "Ok." She sat up and moved back up to her mother's lap, preparing for the moment of disaster.

Haruka was amazed at how Michiru could convince Kiseki to do almost anything. She knelt in front of the couch and in front of her wife and child as she opened the bottle. Pouring the appropriate amount into the spoon, she slowly moved the metal object closer to Kiseki's face with her hand under it in case she spilled any. She watched her daughter's reaction as she took the spoon into her mouth. Both she and her wife had a good laugh as Kiseki reacted to the horrible taste.

Michiru stopped laughing and hugged her little girl when she turned around and faced her. "Good girl," she whispered before kissing the side of Kiseki's head.

Haruka got up and replace the cap on the bottle. After going back into the kitchen to put the bottle where she had gotten it from, she came back to the couch and flopped down on the left side of her wife. Reaching for the remote control, she turned the television on and started flipping through the channels.

Michiru hugged her child again as she felt the girl lean back into her. Running her fingers through her baby's soft, straight hair, she exhaled slowly. Moving her free hand, she intertwined hers and Haruka's fingers, squeezing them gently.

The blonde looked over at her wife with a slightly concerned look on her face. "You all right?" she asked quietly.

Michiru nodded. "I'm fine. Just relaxing a little bit." She squeezed the racer's hand again and smiled.

Haruka smiled back. "Well, let's hope you don't get what Ki-chan had." She let go of Michiru's hand and wrapped her arm around the artist's shoulders.

The aqua-haired girl leaned her head on the racer's shoulder and she sighed contently. "I'm not worried about it right now."

The three sat together in silence. Haruka continued flipping through the channels, Michiru held her daughter loosely, and Kiseki just enjoyed sitting with both of her parents at the same time. Their perfect little world would soon come crashing down though.

**TBA**

**AN: Uh oh! What's going on? Michiru passes out? Is Kiseki really not sick anymore? I guess you'll just have to wait and find out. I'm super sorry that it's taken me this long to get this chapter up. I think I should just stop promising to get chapters up on time because every time I do, I get a promotion at work ((which means more hours)) or I have a project at school. So with that in mind, let me say this: I'll have the next chapter up soon. Lol. Well, that's chapter 4 for you. I hope you liked it. Please R&R. Thanks!**


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